Stencil cabinet



March 21, D'A EA 1,902,220

STENCIL CABINET Filed Sept. 17, 1931 FLY/1- IIIIIL'JL'.

Patented Mar. 21, 1933 what srrnenn, or sit. PAUnMINNEsoTA STENCIL CABINET Application filed September 17, 1931. Serial No. teases.

My invention relates to portable cabinets in general and more particularly to a cabinet for stenciling purposes, the main object of the invention being to provide a simple, inexpensive and compact device with certain features arranged to facilitate stenciling work. The device comprises further certain arrangement of storage pockets, paint-pads, ledges, and what might best be termed a semi-automatic gauge bar for retaining sheets or cards to be stenciled and gauging the stencil sheets or plates used with the device.

In the accompanying drawing,:

Fig. 1 is a top view of the cabinet closed.

Fig. 2 is a front view of the cabinet in operative position on a flat working surface, the lidor cover of the cabinet being in its upper position.

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view in enlarged scale, as on line 33 in Fig. 2 revealing certain operating-details more clearly:

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the lower part of the base-section of my device, a stencil in operative position and on a card being stenciled.

Fig. 5 is a perspective-view of a foldable paint-tray used with my cabinet.

Referring to the drawing by reference numerals, my cabinet comprises two normally upright sections of which one is best designated the base section and the other the front section numbered 6 and 'Zrespectively, and both hingedly connected at their top parts as at 8 so that the front section can be swung upward to a position over the base section as best shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

The two cabinet sections are preferably, but not necessarily made of light wood and when in carrying condition resemble a suitcase except that the front is sloped making the cabinet broader at the base. 9 in Fig. 1 designates any suitable type of carrying handle at the central top part of the base section.

The two sections, when connected, for carrying purposes comprise each a box-like construction open horizontally one way and said openings registering likewise horizontally. The base section comprises a rear wall 6A, two side walls SE, a narrow fiat base 66 and at the free or front edge of the, latter a vertical low wall .61) is fixedand connects the side walls. 6T is a comparatively narrow top strip, the side walls having their forward edgesextending from the front edge to the top edge of 6T in a steep incline, said side walls extending forward from the member 61) in a less sharp incline 6E while the lower edge of the side walls extend forward in a horizontal plane from the basefiOand termi nate each in a vertical front face 6F, the lat- A MICHAEL DANDREA, OF ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-HALF TO RAY J. '7

part of the base member is supported by the I serrated lower edgeof bar 10, the serrations comprising downwardly tapered transverse teeth 10)? on the lower edge of the bar. These teeth are spaced apart in predetermined dis tances and serve as gauge means; for example, a group of these teeth are located say one-half inch apart along the bar and another group may be' spaced-apart one-inch centerto-center.

13 in Figs 3 and 4 designatesa card-board or other sheet to be stenciled, and 14 designates a stencil of the usual elongated quadrangular type in which any number of letters and numerals are cut-out for a paintstencil, the latter being best shown in Fig. 4. Sheet 13 is simply laid on surface 11 with its front edge as in Fig. 4 inwardly of bar 10 and par allel thereto, said front edge being of course also parallel tothe front edge of partition 6D. The device must of course be tilted back slightly to raise bar 10 enough to permit the sheet 13 to be slipped into place for stenciling, the latter-being done just forward of the bar 10. The device is then allowed to tilt forward its weight causing bar 10 to contact frictionally (with its teeth) on the sheet 13 and hold it firmly. The operator then takes a stencil strip 14 and paints the desired letters in proper orderwhile the stencil is held against the front lower part of the gauge bar 10 (the toothed part), along which the strip is moved 1 to right or left as required, said movements being gauged by the teeth 10T.

The front section of my device hinged to the base section at 8 as previously stated, comprises an upper horizontal board 7T, :1 front panel 7F, side panels or boards 713, all suitably assembled in a box-like structure, the side panels being cut at their free edges in obtuse angle and the front panel being of such size as to bear down upon the upper edge of bar 10 when the cabinet is closed (see'Fig. 3) and the angular out parts of the side walls simultaneously close against the correspondingly out side walls 613 of the base section.

7L is a longitudinal ledge member rigidly fixed between the side walls 7 B and so located 1 near the free edge of the front section that it covers the space between the sidewalls 613, bar 6F and the wall 61) when the deviceis closed. When the front'section 7 is raised to position shown clearly in Figs. 3 and 2 the ledge 7L is topmost and approximately in a horizontal plane, and simultaneously the board 7 T comes to resting position horizontally over top member 6T. 7

15 is a narrow ridge board fixed on board 7T adjacent the hinge means Sand along the entire edge part of saidboard 7 T, this ridge projecting upwardly and providing a front guard for cards 13 or other articles which may be stored on top of the board? T when the front member is up as in Fig. 3.

16R and 16L are two vertical partitions in the lower orbase section and fixed parallel to the right and left end walls 6B and inwardly thereof to provide pockets 17 and 18. Between the partitions 16R and 16L and rearward of board 6D is a large storage space for stencils, cards, etc.

Pocket 16L may be used as storage space for a number of paint. brushes 19, whereas pocket 16R may be provided with a fixed floor 20 fixed flush with the top of board 6D and on which floor (within pocket 17) may be stored a number of paint mixing units comprising an important part of the entire device. Each said mixing unit comprises two elongated blocks 21 21A hingedlv connected at 22H, member 21 comprising the base and being provided with two recesses 22 22A of which 22 is used to retain a pad of soluble ink or paint 23 and 22A retains a soft water-soaked wad 24 in which to moisten a paint brush 19.

ing devices are of course preferably used as such while laid on a surface 11 near the device while stenciling is in progress and after stenciling is completed are folded up and stored as stated in pocket 17 and shown in Fig. 2. It is obvious that each mixing unit carries one color of paint and any number of different colors may be made available as shown.

In'Figs. 2 and 3, 25 designates a pair of snap or spring actuated catches mounted on the exterior of the end walls 613 near their faces 6E, and said catches adapted to removably engage correspondingly located pegs 26 on the front or cover section 7 when the latter is lowered to closing position.

The gauge bar 10 is preferably pivotally connected at one end,.as at 27, while its other end is adjustably secured by a screw 28 which passes through a vertical slot 10S provided in the bar and has threaded engagement in the lower front face 6F of side walls 6B. Loosening of screw 28' permits vertical movement of the bar 10 as desired to attain proper friction contact with a paper, card or sheet 13.

When one line of a sign 13 has been stenciled, the. device is tiltedso that bar 10 is raised slightly and its weight does not affect the card. Then the card is moved toward board 6D and in parallel relation thereto so that another line of letters and numerals may be stenciled. Proper spacing of letters is easily attained by the operator merely moving the stencil to right or left and location of each stenciled letter determined by their location with relation to the prongs lOT of bar 10, .said bar thus serving as a gauge-bar.

The successive lines of stenciled letters on a sheet 13 are applied with accuracy, it being only necessary to keep the inner edgeof sheet 13 in proper parallel relation to board 6D by sighting the said edge of the card 13 over the top edge of bar 10 or keeping the card at all times in proper parallel relation to board 6D or the top edge of the gauge bar 10.

The use of my device has herein been fully disclosed. A feature of this device is that a sheet or card 13 is properly contacted with and held by the entire weight of the device forward of its supporting buttons 12.

I claim:

1. In a stenciling device of the class described, a normally upright cabinet of quadrangular box like form comprising two sectionshingedly connected to each other at the top and opening toward each other, one part the cover section adapted to be swung upwardly to resting position on top of the other or base sectionto about an upright common plane therewith, the lower rear corners of the base section supported in spaced relation to the supporting surface on which the device is set, a forward and downwardly inclined extension of said base section at each end thereof, a gage bar connecting the forward extremities of said extensions in parallel relation to the main or base part, said bar adapted to contact with a sheet to be stenciled forward of said bar and simultaneously support the front of the cabinet.

2. The structure specified in claim 1 in which said gage bar is formed with a lower serrated edge comprising the contact means described. i

3. In a stenciling device of the class described, a normally upright cabinet of quadrangular box-like form comprising two sections hingedly connected to each other at the top and opening toward each other, one part the cover section adapted to be swung upwardly to resting position on top of the base section, means supporting the lower rear corners of the base in spaced relation to the supporting surface on which the device is set, a forwardly and downwardly inclined exten-- sion of said base at its sides and comprising side wall extensions, a gage bar connecting the forward extremities of said extensions in parallel relation to the base part, said bar adapted to contact with a sheet to be stenciled forward of said bar and simultaneously support the front part of the device, and said. base section formed interiorly with suitable connected partitions and ledges to provide a number of storage pockets accessible from the front of the device when open.

4. The structure specified in claim 1, said cover section and the base section formed with their side walls having inclined faces to close against each other, the cover section shorter than the base section and two of its said inclined faces adapted when the device is closed to contact with the upper inclined faces of the side extensions of the base, and a ledge fixed in said cover adjacent its free end.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

MICHAEL DANDREA. 

